Mysteries of Sonoran Desert life are slowly revealed and abundantly displayed at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. This International Biosphere Reserve, is an ecorich collection of plants and animals that have adapted to living throughout this surprisingly diverse geological landscape. Scenic drives, wilderness hikes and camping can lead to unravelling the mysteries that await your discovery. 

Photo: National Park Service 

105 years ago today, President Teddy Roosevelt designated the Grand Canyon as a National Monument. This photo shows Mather Point. Not a bad view right?

Photo: W. Tyson Joye, National Park Service 

Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers year-round recreational opportunities for boating, fishing, hiking, photography, picnicking and sightseeing. It is also home to thousands of desert plants and animals, adapted to survive where rain is scarce and temperatures can soar.

Photo: National Park Service 

Before highways and railways, before pioneers, even before Columbus…..the land we know as the United States was truly a vast wilderness. To protect these last remaining areas, in 1984 Congress created the Paria Canyon - Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Coyote Buttes’ outstanding scenery, desert wildlife, colorful history, and opportunities for primitive recreation will remain free from the influence of man and are protected in this condition for future generations. Its 112,500 acres beckon adventurers who yearn for solitude, scenic splendor, and the chance to explore one of the most beautiful geologic formations in the world.

Photo: Adam Marland 

Encompassing over 1.2 million acres, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area offers unparalleled opportunities for water-based & backcountry recreation. The recreation area stretches for hundreds of miles from Lees Ferry in Arizona to the Orange Cliffs of southern Utah, encompassing scenic vistas, geologic wonders, and a vast panorama of human history.

Photo: National Park Service 

President Obama views the Hoover Dam during a stop there, Oct. 2, 2012.

The Bureau of Reclamation has conducted tours through the Hoover Dam and powerplant since 1937. Today, close to 1,000,000 visitors a year take the tour and millions more drive across the dam. Click here to learn more and to plan your visit today.

Photo: Pete Souza 

Before highways and railways, before pioneers, even before Columbus…..the land we know as the United States was truly a vast wilderness. To protect these last remaining areas, in 1984 Congress created the Paria Canyon - Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Coyote Buttes’ outstanding scenery, desert wildlife, colorful history, and opportunities for primitive recreation will remain free from the influence of man and are protected in this condition for future generations. Its 112,500 acres beckon adventurers who yearn for solitude, scenic splendor, and the chance to explore one of the most beautiful geologic formations in the world.

Photo: Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management

Encompassing over 1.2 million acres, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area offers unparalleled opportunities for water-based & backcountry recreation. The recreation area stretches for hundreds of miles from Lees Ferry in Arizona to the Orange Cliffs of southern Utah, encompassing scenic vistas, geologic wonders, and a vast panorama of human history.

Photo: National Park Service 

In 1972, Congress established the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area “to provide for public use and enjoyment and to preserve the area’s scientific, historic, and scenic features.” The uniquely beautiful area encompassed within the NRA stretches for hundreds of miles from Lees Ferry in Arizona to southern Utah. The scenic landscape created by the clear deep blue water of Lake Powell set against the red and orange sandstone cliffs draws over three million visitors to this area each year from all over the world.

The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area offers over 1.2 million acres of unparalleled opportunities for water-based & backcountry recreation. Lake Powell has become a major destination for many activities, such as fishing, camping, backcountry hiking, water sports, and boating, particularly houseboating. A good variety of fish can be found in Lake Powell including bass, bluegill, walleye, black crappie, northern pike, and catfish while the clear cool water in the 15-mile stretch of the Colorado River below the dam to Lees Ferry supports a blue-ribbon trout fishery.

Photo: Arlene Walachy, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 

Welcome to Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona, home to North America’s largest Cacti. The Giant Saguaro is the universal symbol of the American West. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are protected by Saguaro National Park, to the East and West of the modern City of Tucson. Here you have a chance to see these enormous cacti, silhouetted by the beauty of a magnificent desert sunset.

Photo: Chris Summitt, National Park Service